Page 56 of Fashionista's Playbook

I gestured to the bartender for another drink.

“Tell him the rest.” Ward encouraged her, his face a mask of disingenuous shock.

They’d boxed me in, or I’d have already walked away. Tatum and her cronies were Vin’s problem, not mine.

“When I couldn’t find Vin, yourassistantwouldn’t let me in. Luckily, Garrett was on his way and brought me with him. But he could only get one of us, and Lyrical had to go home.”

There was a good damn reason Moriah hadn’t let her in. I waited a beat and took a pull from the new drink, swallowed, andshrugged. “It’s a charity event. You could have bought a ticket, instead of leaching onto Ward.”

I shouldered my way past Ward, who stood fuming, and jerked a chin at DeSean. “It’s time to head home.”

****

I stepped into the small group of people Moriah spoke with. “You ready?”

“What, why?” Confusion clouded her features.

I snatched two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and stalked toward the first door I saw.

At this rate, she’d be driving me home.

“Travis, what’s wrong?” She squeaked when I ducked her around the corner and into a quiet, empty hallway.

“Other than Vincent disappearing with Bianca, Ward bringing that Tatum chick and being a dickbag, nothing.” I said with a nod of my head as the door shut behind me.

Her face dropped in the dim light, worry lines cinched her eyes. Not the reaction I’d been going for.

“Oh. About Tatum, let me explain—”

I took a long sip of champagne and massaged the tension at the side of my neck. “Nah, she deserved it. I’m proud of you.”

Her lips turned up in a conspiratorial smile and she ducked her head. “At least this way, we got the money off of it.”

Facts. Ward would have had to pay for his plus one.

I wanted to reach out, grab her, hold her, make love to her on the floor with the entire party just a closed door away. I caught her gaze. Moriah responded to the heat I felt; her bright blue eyes turned dark. Her lips parted slightly, and I knew she’d be down for all of it.

I reached to her, snaking one arm around her waist, sliding my fingers to her hip, and depositing my glass on the nearestsurface with my other hand. Against me, her body was warm, pliant. God, I wanted her.

The silky material of her dress slid easily under my touch, allowing me to inch the fabric up. I needed skin, to touch it, to cup her plump ass in my hand.

“Travis.” She squeaked and wiggled, and the feel of her breasts rubbing across my chest did little to stifle my desire.

And then her voice changed, grew solemn. “You sure you wouldn’t rather have someone like her than me?”

The idea was ludicrous. I snorted. “She doesn’t come anywhere close to you.”

With a deft move, she slipped from my embrace, put distance between us. “I don’t know what’s happening between us, but I can’t ignore the fact that gorgeous women with perfect bodies are going to—”

There was a way to approach Moriah, I’d learned. It required I temper the aggression that sent me slamming a defender into the dirt. “The only perfect body I see is yours.”

When she met my gaze, her blue eyes were thoughtful, unabashed, and twinkled a little. The confidence made me even prouder of my Mariposa.

“Want me to say it?” I rolled my shoulders and grabbed her hand before she could put too much distance between us.

“It’s just sex, Travis. You don’t have to say anything.”

“I want you. I told DeSean I was taking you home. Otherwise, he might try to steal you away.”

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